Game with catapult launcher and target grid



Inventors Frank Kohner New York, New York; Albert Stubbman, FranklinLakes, New Jersey Appl. No. 794,997 Filed Jan. 29, 1969 Division of Ser.No. 678,076, filed Oct. 25, 1967, pending. Patented Sept. 15, 1970Assignee Kohner Bros., Inc.

East Paterson, New Jersey a corporation of New York GAME WITI-ICA'IAPULT LAUNCHER AND TARGET GRID 3 Claims, 13 Drawing Figs.

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 614,094 11/1898 Farnum273/101 1,260,026 3/1919 Peacock 273/101 1,880,089 9/ 1 932 Heidecorn eta1 1 16/135 2,986,330 5/1961 Benditt 235/124 3,292,284 12/ l 966 Manzo40/62 'Primary Examiner-Louis J. Capozi Attorney Kirschstein,Kirschstein, Ottinger and Frank ABSTRACT: A game constituting a targetgrid, projectiles and a catapult launcher, wherein the target grid iscomposed of an array of columns and rows of abutting perforated squareinverted pyramidal seats the bases of which lie in a common horizontalplane, the seats being subdivided into differently colored areas forselective targetobjectives, wherein the projectiles are cones withweighted balls frictionally held interiorly of the noses of the conesand different projectiles are differently colored for intended receptionin areas of matching color in the target grid, and wherein the catapultlauncher is a base with a spring actuated launching lever pivotallyconnected thereto by a locked wishbone fulcrum, the base being providedwith a scoring marker that is slidably captive on the base along a rowof scoring graduations.

Patented Sept; 15, 1910 I 3,528,385

Sheet L of s Patented Sept. 15, 1970 3,528,385

Sheet 2 of3 Patented. Sept. 15. 1910 Sheet .4 "HUMP Hill! F/GJO GAMEWITH CATAPULT LAUNCHER AND TARGET GRID CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATEDAPPLICATIONS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention Agame including a target grid composed of differently colored areas of apatterned array of seats and in combination therewith differentlycolored conical projectiles and spring actuated launchers for theprojectiles.

2. Description of the Prior Art It has been proposed heretofore toprovide games in the general category of a target grid with projectilesthat are launched by a catapult onto the grid and to form the grid as anorthogonal array of truncated downwardly tapered seats. However, in suchgames the target grid presented an upwardly facing surface includingmany three-dimensional pointed cusps which were potentially harmful toyoung children who, in the excitement of the game, might fall and strikethis surface. These games also were provided with projectiles andlaunchers embodying sharp corners and of crude construction, beingthereby likewise possibly harmful and being incapable of withstandingthe energetic action of young children bent on enjoyment rather thanextended life of the game. These drawbacks have hindered widespread saleof such games and prevented them from realizing their full commercialcapabilities.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention toprovide a game of the character described having an improved targetgrid, improved projectiles and improved catapult launchers whichovercome the foregoing drawbacks.

It is another object of the invention to provide in a game of thecharacter described a target grid in which the array of projectilereceiving seats is subdivided into differently colored areas for theintended reception of differently colored projectiles, so that only whena projectile of a certain color descends in an area of matching color isthe player credited with a score. 1

It is another object of the invention to provide in a game of thecharacter described a target grid in which the seats are so structuredthat the edges of the seats defining the upper surface of the grid liein a common horizontal plane, thereby eliminating the formation ofupwardly pointed cusps which might be a possible source of danger to aplayer.

It is another object of the invention to provide in a game of thecharacter described a target grid in which the seats are of invertedtruncated square pyramidal configuration, thereby enabling the bases ofthe seats to be in the shape of straight lines and enabling all of theselines to be arranged in a common horizontal plane so as to eliminateupwardly pointed cusps.

It is another object of the invention to provide in a game of thecharacter desc ibed a projectile having a rounded nose and in which awell is located internally of the projectile in back of the nose, thewell constrictively receiving a spherical weight and thereby ensuringthat the weight is firmly held in place, even during rough play, andfurther providing a simple and inexpensive method of assembly.

It is another object of the invention to provide in a game of thecharacter described a catapult launcher, in which the catapult lever ispivotally interengaged with the base of the launcher in a unique fashionthat permits ready assembly and easy relative pivotal movement, and yetcaptively interlocks the lever to the base, so that even when handledroughly the lever will not become disengaged from the base.

LII

It is another object of the invention to provide in a game of thecharacter described a catapult launcher having a linear row of numericalgraduations and a scoring marker slidable along said row, the markerbeing slidably interlocked to the base in a fashion which permits simpleassembly, but is difficult to disassemble accidentally, so that themarker likewise will remain attached to the base and readily operable,despite rough handling.

It is another object of the invention to provide a game constitutingtheaforesaid components wherein the sundry components can be readily madeby mass production methods such as injection molding so as in general toprovide for economical manufacture and thus enable the game to beoffered for sale at a price low enough to encourage its widespreadadoption.

Other objects of the invention in part will be obvious and in part willbe pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the game hereinafter described and of which the scope ofapplication will be indicated in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings in whichis shown one of the various possible embodiments of the invention,

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the game, the same illustrating the targetgrid, a single projectile launcher and a single projectile seated in thegrid, it being understood that a typical game includes many moreprojectiles, preferably subdivided into differently colored groups, andmore launchers, a, different one for each player;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the game shown in FIG. I; the projectile,however, instead of being illustrated as seated in an opening in thetarget grid, is shown in dot and dash lines in its path of flight fromthe launcher to the target grid;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical central longitudinal view through theprojectile launcher, the same being taken substantially along the line3-3 of FIG. 1',

FIG. 4 is a highly enlarged vertical central longitudinal view onlythrough the portion of the launcher including the scoring marker andassociated portion of the launcher base, said figure illustrating thelauncher base and marker at a stage in the coupling of the marker to thebase;

FIG. 5 is an auxiliary fragmentary view taken substantially along theline 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view through thepivot interconnecting the launching lever and the base of the launcher,the same being taken substantially along the line 6-6 of FIG. I andillustrating the pivot as it appears after the two parts have been fullyassembled;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6, but showing the two parts at a stageof their assembly;

FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of the launcher in the vicinity of thepivotal interconnection between the launching lever and the base of thelauncher;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantiallyalong the line 9-9 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged axial fragmentary view through the nose of aprojectile and the spherical weight before the two are fully assembled;

FIG. II is a view similar to FIG. 10, but showing the weight as itappears when tightly seated in the nose of the projectile;

FIG. 12 is a side view of a group of differently colored projectiles;and

FIG. 13 is an enlarged top plan view of the central portion of thetarget grid, the same illustrating the subdivision of the target gridinto areas of different colors which match different colors of theprojectiles.

' DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now in detail tothe drawings, the reference numeral 20 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) denotes agame embodying the present invention. The game includes a target grid22, a catapult launcher 24 and a projectile 26. As indicated previously,the general combination of these three elements, inclusive of pluralprojectiles and plural launchers, has been proposed heretofore. However,the individual components have been more or less crude and subject tovarious drawbacks. The present invention resides in constructing thesethree components in an improved manner which provides more safety and amore attractive play and which renders the components better suited towithstand the rough handling to which action games of this type aresubjected by vigorous youngsters.

The principal elements of all of the components are fabricated fromsynthetic plastic, preferably a thermoplastic, such as polyethylene,which is able to withstand impacts and which can be readily manufacturedby high speed, low cost, mass production techniques, such as injectionmolding. The entire target grid is made of synthetic plastic as a singlepiece. The projectile is made of a single piece of synthetic plastic,except for its weight. The base of the projectile launcher, the scoringmarker and the launching lever are each a single piece of syntheticplastic. The spring for the launching lever preferably is made of metalspring wire and, as later will be seen, an identifying panel is providedfor each launcher, this optionally being fabricated from paper.

The target grid 22 constitutes a boundary frame 28 formed with four sidewalls joined in a plan square configuration. The side walls are slightlyupwardly convergent for easy withdrawal from a mold. The bottom edges ofthe side walls are formed with an integrally outwardly extending ledge30 that terminates in a perimetric dependent flange 32 (see FIG. 9), thelower edge of the flange lying in a horizontal plane and being adaptedto sit on a flat horizontal surface such as a floor or table. Ifdesired, the space defined by the ledge 30 and flange 32 may constitutea seat for reception of a cardboard closure panel.

The boundary frame receiving partition 34 of the target grid. The designof the partition 34 is a feature of the present invention, being such asto eliminate the presence of upwardly extending pointed cusps that mightbe struck by an unwary young player of the game.

In particular, the projectile receiving partition 34 is offsetdownwardly from the upper edge of the boundary frame so that in itsprotected position it is less likely to be accidentally struck by auser. Said projectile receiving partition is generally 28 serves tosupport a projectile,

horizontal and is composed of rows and columns of juxtaposed receivingseats 36, each seat being bounded by an upwardly facing mouth of squareconfiguration. All of the mouths are of the same size. The rows andcolumns of mouths are mutually rectangularly (orthogonally) oriented,that is to say, the rows extend at right angles to the columns. Thenumber of mouths in each row is the same and is equal to the number ineach column so that the over-all array is square to fit within thesquare frame 28.

In particular, the individual seats verted truncated square pyramids, sothat each seat is composed of four planar, that is to say, flat, walls38. The walls converge downwardly to the truncated end of the seat whichis projectile 36 are in the shape of inin the form of an opening 40. Theopenings are of circular plan configuration, whereby each openingintersects each of its four associated walls in a quadrant of a circle,as viewed in plan. The intersection of each opening with its affiliatedwalls forms a cusp 42 at each corner of the pyramidal seat, as can beseen in FIG. 9, but it is important to observe that these cusps extendin a downward direction toward the supporting base of the frame, so thatthey are protected and are not likely to be inadvertently struck by aplayer of a game. As later will be seen, the angle of convergence of thefour walls 38 is approximately equal to the angle of convergence of aconical projectile 26, so that, as can be seen from inspection of FIG.9, when a projectile is received in a seat it fits nicely therein anddoes not rock about excessively. Preferably, the angle of convergence ofthe projectile is a few, e.g., 10, smaller than the angle of convergenceof the seat, for the projectile to be more easily guided down into theopening 40.

As can be seen from FIGS. 1, 9 and 13, adjacent seats are in linearcontact with one another at their broad open mouths which constitute thebases of the inverted pyramids. Thereby, the entire upper surface of thepartition 34 is composed of seats with no spaces between them. Hence,when a projectile lands upon the partition, it will always be guideddown into one of the seats and will not tend to rest upon the surface ofthe partition bridging seats.

Attention is particularly directed to the fact that because the seatsare in the form of square pyramids, rather than cones for example, thelines of intersection of adjacent walls of juxtaposed pyramids formstraight apices of dihedral angles and the entire upper surface of thepartition 34 therefore is composed of a network of such apices which liein a common horizontal plane. Moreover, where the apices intersect atthe junctions of any four seats, the point of intersection will lie inthe same horizontal plane as the apices-it will not be situated abovethis plane to form a raised cusp such as is characteristic of targetgrids heretofore and which presented a possible danger to unwaryenthusiastic players of the game.

To heighten the skill required in, and the pleasure received from, playof the game 20 the partition 34 is subdivided into four quadrants byslightly thickening and raising the apices of the intersections of theseats 36 along the lines defining the boundaries between the quadrants.These thickened apices are indicated by the reference numeral 44 andwill be seen in FIGS. 1, 9 and 13. In the specific example illustrated,where there are six rows and six columns of openings, the thickenedapices 44 subdivide the partition into four equal sized quadrants, eachconsisting of three rows and three columns of seats. In order todistinguish the quadrants from one another, they are coloreddifferently, the upper left-hand quadrant in FIG. 13 being coloredgreen, the lower left-hand quadrant being colored red, the upperright-hand quadrant being colored blue, and the lower right-handquadrant being colored yellow. It subsequently will be seen that each ofthese quadrants constitutes a subdivided target area of the entiretarget grid which is intended to be assigned to a specific player sothat he will be required to exercise additional skill in order to directhis projectiles to a target of such limited area.

Each projectile 26 is composed of a conical side wall 46 terminating atits apex in a rounded nose 48 and provided with a squat outwardlyextending flange 50 at its wide end. Each projectile is hollow, beingessentially in the form of a shell with an open wide end.

In order to steady the flight of the projectile, which is denoted by adot and dash line in FIG. 2, the same is weighted at its nose. This hasthe further advantage that during the descending part of its travel theprojectile will assume a nose downward position, thereby more positivelytending to be received in a seat which is struck by its nose. Since thedemarcation between any two adjacent openings is a thin line, and sincethe nose of the projectile is rounded, the projectile will automaticallydeflect into that seat which it principally overlies at the moment itstrikes the partition 34.

To weight the projectile there is employed a ball 52, e.g., a steelball, and the internal surface of the nose of the projectile is slightlythickened, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, to form a circular rearwardlyopening well 54. The bottom of the well is immediately adjacent the nose48 and the well is arranged to be coincident with the longitudinal axisof symmetry of the projectile. The diameter of the well 54 is sodimensioned that it is slightly less than the diameter of the ball 52.For example, the diameter of the ball is 0.312 inches and the diameterof the well is 0.302 inches. It will be recalled that the projectile ismade of polyethylene which is a somewhat yieldable plastic, i .e., canbe squeezed and distorted under pressure and which is resilient. Theball thereby is so dimensioned with respect to the well that it is aforce fit in the well, as can be seen by comparing FIGS. 10 and 1 l, inthe latter of which the ball is seated in the well. This seatingis sotight that the ball will tend to remain in the well even through veryrough handling by a child. Yet, the assembly is such that it can becarried out very quickly and easily by mass production methods, so thatthe projectiles are particularly inexpensive to make. As a precaution,although not necessary to the practice of the invention, the mouth ofthe well is slightly constricted by the provision of a half roundinwardly extending rib 56, so that if the ball should be accidentallydislodged from its fully received position in the well, it willnevertheless tend to remain within the confines of the well.

The flange 50 aids to the flight stability characteristic of theprojectile, tending to prevent wobbling during flight.

The game includes several projectiles 26, enough so that each player canbe provided with a supply thereof. For example, there may be sixprojectiles for each player and if four players are contemplated, thegame will include 24 projectiles. Moreover, in the preferred form of theinvention the projectiles for each player are colored differently fromthe projectiles for all other players. One different projectile for eachplayer is illustrated in FIG. 12, where there will be seen a green, ablue, a red and a yellow projectile. In the game just being describedthere typically will be six projectiles of each different color forminga differently colored group'of projectiles for each different player. Itis intended that the green projectiles be so directed during a launchthat they will strike and be seated in the green quadrant of the targetgird, similarly for the blue, and likewise for the red and yellow.

The catapult launcher 24 is illustrated in FIGS. 1-8. It includes alauncher base 58, a launching lever 60, a scoring marker 62 and alaunching spring 64. It further includes an identifying color panel 66.The launching lever is pivotally connected to the base, as soon will bedescribed. The spring is so arranged that it is compressed when thelaunching lever is depressed and will snap the launching lever up whensaid lever is released, and the scoring market is secured to the base insuch a fashion that it can be moved along the same to indicate theplayers score. The color of the panel 66 is to identify a 4 player andto assign to him a specific color group of projectiles and a specificcolored quadrant of the target grid.

The base has the plan contour of a T, as best can be seen in FIG. 1. Atthe foot of the T a raised hollow housing 68 is provided, the top wallof said housing being inclined toward the top of the base at an angle ofabout 30. The rear wall of the housing remote from the top of the baseof the T is fonned with an upwardly extending slot 70. The side walls ofthe housing adjacent the top of the base of the T are provided withtransversely extending registered openings 72 (see FIGS, 3, 6, 7 and 8).These openings constitute journals for pivotal connection to thelaunching lever.

The launching lever 60 is formed to provide a launching platform 74 inwhich there is centered an upwardly extending truncated conical boss 76.The platform extends forwardly from the boss 76 in the configuration ofa parallel-sided shank 78. The tip of the shank is bifurcated by a slot80 to subdivide the tip into a pair of fingers 82. Inasmuch as thelaunching lever is fabricated from polyethylene, which is somewhatflexible the provision of the slot 80 enables the fingers to be flexedtoward one another. Also, since polyethylene is resilient, the fingerswill, after a deforming force has been removed therefrom, resume theirnormal parallel relationship. A pendent perimetral flange 79circumscribes the launching lever, except at the tip thereof remote fromthe launching platform and except at the inner sides of the fingers 82,thereby heightening the ability of the fingers to flex upon theapplication of pressure. Pendent lugs 86 are located on the undersidesof the tips of the fingers 82.

A pivot pin 88 extends outwardly from the outer side of the tip of eachfinger 82, These pins are in alignment and are horizontal in theassembled condition of the launcher 24. The

pins extend far enough from the fingers to fully project through theopenings 72 in the launcher base whenthe launching lever is fullyassembled on the base. However, the fingers can be forcedtogether enoughto enable the pins to move toward one another to an extent such that thetips of the pins can be inserted into the housing 68 until the tips arein registration with the openings 72 and thereafter, upon release of theforce squeezing the pins together, the pins will extend through theopenings to form a freely turning pivotal connection with the launcherbase.

In FIG. 7 there is illustrated the procedure by which the launchinglever preferably is pivotally interconnected to the launcher base.Pursuant to this procedure one of the pins is inserted into itsassociated opening 72, the finger carrying the other pin then is urgedtoward the finger carrying the first pin until the amount of movementtoward one another is sufficient to enable the second pin to enter itsassociated opening. During this time the launching lever is tilted. Thenthe launching lever is restored to its flat condition, i.e., with theshank 78 parallel to the top wall of the housing 68. Thereupon thepressure forcing the fingers together is released, allowing the secondpin to snap into its associated opening 72. The latter position isillustrated in FIG. 6.

The foregoing method of assembly is conducive to inexpensive and rapidinterengagement of the lever and base and thus enables the launcher tobe put together inexpensively. However, it also is desirable to preventan inquisitive and ingenious child from reversing this procedure andthereby disassembling the launcher, to the detriment of the game. Forthis purpose, the launcher includes a locking device, which, after thelever has been pivotally assembled to the base, makes it extremelydifficult to squeeze the fingers back toward one another so as todisengage the pins from their openings. The locking device very simplycomprises a pair of parallel ribs 90 depending from the undersurface ofthe top wall of the housing 68. The ribs 90 extend parallel to thelength of the shank of the launching lever. The distance between theouter surfaces of the ribs 90 is slightly less than the space betweenthe inner surface of the fingers 82 in relaxed position. Moreover, theribs 90 are centered between the fingers when the launching lever ispivotally connected to the base, this being best seen in FIGS. 6 and 8.The ribs are of sufficient depth to extend into the space between thefingers where they fit loosely without inhibiting easy pivotal movementof the lever. However, the ribs, by being close to the inner surfaces ofthe fingers, prevent the fingers from being squeezed back together torelease the pins from their associated openings. Hence, once the leverhas been connected to the base, it is extremely difficult for a child todisassemble it.

The base 58 of the launching lever includes a bottom wall 92, which isprovided with an upwardly extending plug 94 that is so situated as to bereceived within the hollow interior of the boss 76 when the launchinglever is depressed to an extent such that the bottom edge of the flange79 contacts the top surface of the wall 92. Moreover, the plug is smallenough so that at this time a tubular space is left between it and theinner surface of the boss.

The spring 64 is a conical helical coil compression spring which isupwardly tapered. The narrow upper end of the spring is seated againstthe undersurface of the top wall of the boss 76. The broad lower end ofthe spring is seated in an annular well 96 circumscribing the base ofthe plug 94. The shank 78 of the launching lever extends through theslot 70 in the distal wall of the housing 68.

The upper end of said slot acts as a stop for determining the upwardposition of the launching lever. The spring is so dimensioned that inthis upward position of the launching lever the spring is still undercompression. Obviously, when the launching lever is depressed, thecompressive stress in the spring is increased. Thereafter, when thespring is released, the launching lever will fly upwardly, turning aboutthe pins 88 until the shank 78 strikes the upper end of the slot 70,abruptly checking its movement and allowing a projectile which is seatedon the boss 76 to fly up, hopefully in such direction that it willstrike the target grid in an intended area.

The external surface of the boss 76 approximately matches the interiorsurface of the projectile around its wide base.

However, it does not form a in fit therewith which would tend to inhibitlaunching of the projectile. Rather, the fit is a slightly loose one-afew hundredths of an inch too large in diameter.

An arcuate ledge 98 having its concave side facing the pivotal axis ofthe launching lever is provided at the distal side of the bottom wall 92in a position where it is clear of the launching lever in depressedposition. Seated flatly on the I ledge is the identifying color panel66. Desirably, one launcher is provided for each player, each launcherhaving an identifying panel of a different color such as one of green,blue, red and yellow.

The method for playing the game is quite apparent. Each player hasassigned to him or selects a different color. He then temporarilyacquires a launcher of that color and a group of projectiles of thatcolor. Thereafter, the players in turn attempt to launch theirprojectiles in such a fashion that they will land on their assignedcolored area of the target grid. The players usually will be told toplace the launchers anywhere in back of a line spaced a certain distancefrom the target grid and the players may be placed at different spotsaround the target grid.

It will be observed that the various edges and corners of the differentparts of the game are rounded to minimize injury to the players.

The scoring marker 62 aids a player in keeping track of his score. Thescoring marker is intended to function in association with a printedscale 100 arranged alongside the distal edge of the panel 66. Saidscoring marker cooperates with a curved slot 102 at the outer edge ofthe ledge 98. lt will be observed that the distal edge 104 of thelauncher base is spaced from the ledge 98 and defines one of the edgesof the slot 102, the other edge of which is defined by the ledge 98. Theupper surface of the edge 104 is somewhat above, e.g., a quarter of aninch above, the upper surface of the ledge 98. Because the base is madeof flexible resilient polyethylene and because the curved slot 102 isquite long, running as it does lengthwise of the crossbar of theT-shaped base, it is relatively simple to displace the edge 104vertically with respect to the ledge 98, thereby effectively enlargingthe gap width of the slot 102. That is to say, the effective slot widthincreases because when the base is unstressed in this area, the slot hasonly a horizontal width and no vertical component, whereas when, asshown in FIG. 4, the parts are relatively displaced vertically, thelarge vertical component is created.

The scoring marker 62 is ladle-shaped. It includes a horizontal branch106 which might be considered the handle of the ladle, and attached toan end of the branch is a U- shaped section including an inner leg 108connected by a base 110 to an outer leg 112. The two legs areapproximately parallel to one another. The outer leg 112 constitutes onewall of a handle 1 14. The inner surface of the outer leg is formed witha vertically extending indentation 116 (see FIG. 5).

When the scoring marker is coupled to the launching base, as best shownin FIG. 3, the branch 106 overlies the line of scale graduations 100.Said branch is formed with an aperture 118 which is large enough to showtherethrough any one scale number and exclude scale numbers lying toeither side thereof. The undersurface of the branch 106 adjacent theinner leg 108 rides on a stub rib 120 forming the inner edge of the slot102, said stub rib protruding upwardly from the ledge 98. The inner leg108 extends downwardly from the branch through the slot 102 lyingvertically alongside of the inner edge of said slot. The base 110 of thescoring marker slides along the lower surface of a flange 122 dependingfrom the perimeter of the edge 104. The outer leg 112 extends verticallyupwardly from the base along the outer surface of said flange 122,lightly engaging the same. Desirably, the top edge of the inner leg 108is level with or extends slightly above the edge 104. Inasmuch as theedge 104 with its flange 122 sub stantially fills the scoop portion ofthe ladle-shaped scoring marker, and inasmuch as the branch 106 engagesthe top surin position thereon, although it can slide along the slot 102and the edge 104.

The flange 122 is formed with a plurality of narrow verticalprotuberances 124, each protuberance being aligned with an associatednumber of the scoring graduations 100. These protuberances will snuglyfit into the identation 116 and when any single protuberance is thusdisposed the aperture 118 of the branch 106 will expose therethrough aselected scoring number. Because the scoring marker is slightly flexibleand resilient, it can be moved so that the identation successivelyengages protuberance after protuberance under the control of the player.

To couple the scoring marker to the base of the launcher, the ledge 98is depressed with respect to the edge 104, as shown in FIG. 4. Then thebranch 106 of the scoring marker is tilted and inserted through thevertically enlarged slot 102, as illustrated likewise in FIG. 4. Thisinsertion is carried out sufficiently to insert the edge 104 and itsflange 122 in the channel of the marker. Then, the ledge 98 is releasedwhereupon the rib 120 will engage the undersurface of the branch tocaptively lock the same to the launcher base.

Desirably, a post 126 extends vertically up from the base to ridealongside of the inner surface of the flange 122. This aids in lockingthe scoring marker to the launcher base.

It will be appreciated that although the scoring marker may be readilyeasily assembled on the base as described above, it will hold itself inplace despite rough handling of the launcher and only can be removeddeliberately.

It thus will be seen that there has been provided a game which achievesthe several objects of the invention and which is well adapted to meetthe conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention,and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth,it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

We claim:

1. In a game of the character described, a base of flexible resilientmaterial and a scoring marker captively secured to the base for keepinga record of the score of the game, said base'including a horizontalmember, a slot in said base adjacent a long edge of the member, saidslot extending from adjacent from one side edge to adjacent the oppositeside edge of the member, whereby the long edge of the member is joinedto the remainder of the member only at said side edges so that said longedge can be flexed with respect to the balance of the member tothereby'vertically enlarge the slot, said scoring marker being ofladle-shaped configuration including a channel having a branch extendingaway from one leg thereof, said long edge of the member being receivedin the channel, said branch overlying a part of the member adjacent theslot, said part of the member adjacent the slot having scoring indiciathereon for reading in cooperation with said branch, said scoring markerbeing slidable along said long edge and along said slot and beingcaptively slidably held thereto by sliding engagement between thescoring marker and said long edge and a portion of the balance of saidmember adjacent said slot.

2. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the marker and themember have a cooperating indentation and protuberance interengagementto releasably hold the marker at various selected positions along thelength of the long member.

3. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein there are multipleirregularities along the long edge, and wherein there is a matchingirregularity on the marker which is selectively engageable with any oneof the irregularities on the long edge, whereby to selectively detainthe scoring marker in any one of plural positions along the length ofthe long edge.

